iEx  Safaris 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


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Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


REPORT 


COMMITTEE  OF  THE  CORPORATION, 

ON  THE  SUBJECT  OF 

FORTIFYING 

THE   HARBOUR  OF 

NEW-YORK. 


NEW-YORK-. 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  CORPORATION. 

HENRY  C.SOUTHWICK,  PRINTER. 

1807. 


N4*\ 


REPORT,  &c. 


4  "«/ 

THE  Committee  that  was  appointed  to  carry  into  ef- 
fect the  resolution  of  the  Corporation,  dated  the  13th 
July  last,  offering  to  cede  to  the  United  States  such  part 
of  the  public  ground  as  the  Secretary  at  War  metf  re- 
quire, for  the  purpose  of  erecting  fofti$cati©ns  foi"  -the 
defence  of  this  city — and  also  the  resolution,  dated  4th 
August,  offering  the  aid  of  this  Board,  to  the  Execu- 
tive of  this  state,  to  enable  him  the  more  effectually  to 
put  in  proper  condition,  for  immediate  service,  the  arms 
and  ordinance  belonging  to  the  state ;  and  to  procure 
such  military  stores,  as  the  present  exirencfes  may  re- 
quire— also  to  devise  such  other  means  of  defence  as 
may  be  in  the  power  of  this  Board  to  execute  : 

REPORT, 

THAT  the  Secretary  at  War,  with  the  other  Com- 
missioners of  the  United  States,  have  determined,  not 


4 


only  to  enlarge  and  make  durable,  the  works  on  Cover. 
ner's-Island,  but  are  now  about  erecting  a  very  strong 
and  powerful  marine  battery,  on  the  North-west  point 
of  that  Island,  to  extend  on  the  reef,  beyond  low-water 
mark,  into  the  river.  The  works  on  Ellis's-Island  are 
to  be  extended,  and  the  number  of  guns  and  weight  o  I 
the  metal  greatly  increased.  It  is  also  determined  by 
the  general  government,  to  erect  a  strong  fort,  with  two 
or  three  tiers  of  guns,  to  extend  beyond  the  present  bat- 
tery, in  front  of  the  flag- staff :  also  to  build  a  block  in 
the  North-River,  at  the  foot  of  Duane-street,  of  100 
feet  square,  and  to  erect  a  battery  thereon.  When  these 
works  are  completed,  it  is  understood  they  will  be  able 
to  bring  120  guns  to  bear  upon  any  point  in  the  bay,  be- 
tween Bedlow's- Island  and  the  city.  The  Commission- 
ers have  also  fixed  upon  the  old  Potter's  field,  as  a  pro- 
per place  to  erect  laboratories  and  arsenals,  for  deposit- 
ing and  repairing  arms  and  military  stores.  The  several 
sites  where  these  works  are  to  be  erected,  and  which 
are  within, the  jurisdiction  of  this  board,  your  Commit- 
tee have  offered,  on  the  part  of  the  Corporation,  to  cede 
their  right,  as  soon  as  a  survey  can  be  made  to  designate 
the  proper  meets  and  bounds. 

Although  the  works  which  are  erecting  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  government  of  the  United  States  are  pro- 
per, and  may  be  considered  very  useful,  as  part  of  a 


5 


general  system  of  defence,  they  are,  however,  deemed  not 
sufficient  in  themselves,  to  afford  that  protection  against 
a  maritime  force,  which  will  insure  us  safety  in  'case 'of  an 
attack.  Your  Committee  have  deliberately  consifldred 
the  several  plans,  for  the  defence  of  the  harbour,  that 
have  been  published,  and  others  that  have  been  handed  to 
them ;  they  have  also  caused  several  soundings  to  be 
made  of  the  harbour,  from  the  Narrows  to  Bedlow's- 
Island,  and  find  the  shoalest  water  to  be  in  a  line  between 
Red- Hook  and  a  reef  of  rocks  on  the  west  flat,  about 
half-a-mile  below  Bedlow's- Island ;  and  from  the  vari- 
ous information  obtained,  have  thought  it  most  advise- 
able  to  recommend  the  following  plan. 

To  begin  at  a  reef  of  rocks  that  is  bare  at  low- wafer, 
about  half  a  mile  to  the  south  of  Bedlow's-Island,  and 
'run  a  course  east  by  south,  to  the  southerly  point  of 
Red-Hook,  on  Long- Island.  The  distance  across,  on 
this  line,  is  about  3,000  yards, of  which,  near  400  yards, 
the  water  is  60  feet  deep  at  low- water,  and  the  re  main* 
der  varies  from  40  to  16  feet  in  depth.  A  considerable 
part  of  the  distance,  say  about  700  yards,  does  not  ex- 
ceed 16  feet  at  low -water. 

To  secure  this  place  against  the  passage  of  ships, 
whose  draft  of  water  exceeds  16  or  18  feet,  it  is  proposed 
that  blocks  be  sunk,  to  consist  of  timber  and  stone,  in 


6 


the  manner  the  piers  of  our  wharves  are  made  the  size 
of  which  to  be  in  proportion  to  the  depth  of  the  water, 
and  to  secure  their  standing  firm,  to  have  the  base  al- 
ways greater  than  the  height.  These  blocks  to  be  50 
feet  wide  in  their  position  across  the  river,  and  to  ap- 
proach within  10  feet  of  the  surface  of  the  water,  at  low 
tide,  and  to  leave  a  space  between  each  block  of  50 
feet.  To  commence  sinking  the  blocks  at  Red-Hook, 
and  to  continue  them  until  they  come  within  200  yards 
of  the  reef  of  rocks  on  the  flat  before  mentioned.  If  it 
should  be  feared  that  ships  mightpass  between  the  blocks, 
where  the  space  left  is  50  feet,  that  could  be  remedied 
by  projecting  3  or  4  large  timbers  obliquely,  on  the  upper 
part  of  the  blocks,  with  their  points  faced  with  iron,  in 
the  manner  of  a  chevaux  de  frize ;  these  might  extend 
from  each  block  10  feet,  which  would  then  leave  the 
space  but  30  feet.  These  obstructions,  being  thus  placed, 
would  compel  all  vessels,  drawing  more  than  16  or  18 
feefc^f  ■vtfer,  to  pass  within  the  space  of  200  yards,  next 
ihe  reef  Ajf  rocks.  At  that  place  a  fort  of  such  strength 
might  be  erected,  with  two  or  three  tiers  of  guns,  as 
should  be  judged  sufficient  to  defend  this  passage  against 
any  hostile  fleet.  The  fort  could  be  erected  without  dif- 
ficulty at  this  place,  there  being  several  acres  of  ground 
bare  at  low-water,  which  is  hard  and  firm.  But  as  an 
additional  security  againt  a  fleet  passing  the  fort,  a  num- 
ber of  chevaux  de  frize  might  be  made,  and  at  hand.  In 


7 


case  of  a  hostile  fleet  appearing,  they  could  be  placed  in 
the  passage  in  a  short  time.  These  might  be  removed 
when  the  danger  disappeared. 

A  fcrfher  security  against  forcing  this  passage  by  an 
enemy,  would  be  by  placing  in  it  a  boom,  constructed 
in  an  angular  form  a  w*m  ^e  Pomt  outwards,  to  be 
moored  with  a  number  of  grapplings  and  anchors.  If, 
however,  it  should  still  be  believed  possible,  that  these 
^Kctructions  may  be  removed,  and  a  fleet  pass  through 
the  passage  intended  to  be  left  open,  it  is  proposed,  that 
at  the  distance  of  200  yards  to  the  southward  from  the 
line  of  obstructions  and  the  reef  before  mentioned,  4  of 
5  blocks  be  sunk,  commencing  from  the  flat  that  borders 
the  west  side  of  the  channel,  to  extend  into  the  channel 
200  yards,  so  as  to  be  parallel  to  the  last  block  of  the 
range  extending  from  Red- Hook,  and  to  connect  the 
outward  blocks  or  extremities  of  each  line  of  blocks 
with  a  strong  boom  or  chain,  which  can  hereto  *tsed 
with  great  effect,  as  it  will  ride  parallel  with  the  tide,  and 
not  across  it.  It  will  then  be  evident,  that  a  ship  com- 
ing to  New- York  must  change  her  course,  and  stand  di- 
rectly for  the  fort,  and  it  is  almost  certain,  that  her 
crossing  the  tide  would  so  much  impede  her  way,  that 
the  chain  would  entirely  arrest  her  progress,  when  she 
would  be  swept,  by  the  current,  directly  on  the  blocks, 
and  left  at  the  mercy  of  the  fort. 


8 

If  it  should  be  thought  necessary,  and  admitting  that 
this  chain  might  possibly  be  forced,  a  like  range  of 
blocks  might  be  made,  400  yards  to  the  north  of  the  last 
mentioned  line,  to  extend  into  the  channel  200  yards, 
and  be  connected  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first,  with 
a  boom  and  chain ;  this  would  again  oblige  a  vessel  to 
alter  her  course  and  stand  direcdy  from  the  fort ;  her 
head-way,  by  this  time,  would  be  so  impeded,  that 
this  second  chain  would  certainly  stand. 

It  may  be  said,  that  a  fleet  of  ships  would  take 
the  fort,  and  then  remove  the  obstructions.  This  is  ad- 
mitted to  be  possible  ;  but  if  the  fort  be  well  defend- 
ed, and  of  suitable  strength,  with  the  aid  of  gun- 
boats, which  can  here  be  used  with  great  effect,  it  is 
reasonable  to  believe  the  fleet  would  be  also  crippled, 
and  some  of  them  destroyed.  What  then  would  be 
their  situation  ?  They  cannot  hold  the  fort,  for  it  is 
entirely  ««nmand*fl  by  the  works  on  Bedlow's-Island, 
tenS  k  »4Sannot  be  supposed  they  would  attempt  to 
i?ome  ttf  town  in  their  disabled  state,  to  encounter 
other,  and  more  numerous  and  powerful  fortifications. 

The  plan  of  defending  the  city  of  New- York,  by  sub- 
marine obstructions,  has  been  objected  to  on  several 
grounds.  First,  it  has  been  doubted  by  some,  whether 
blocks  can  be  sunk  where  the  water  is  sixty  feet  deep, 


9 


and  if  they  can  be  sunk,  whether  they  will  stand  the 
force  of  the  current  and  the  storms.  Second,  that  by 
placing  obstructions  in  the  channel  to  such  an  extent,  it 
v,  ill  have  an  injurious  effect  upon  the  current,  and  pro- 
bably affect  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide.  Third,  that 
if  they  could  be  sunk  and  made  to  stand,  and  would 
have  no  bad  effect  upon  the  tide,  the  worms  in  a  few  years 
would  destroy  the  timber,  and  the  stones  would  fall  out, 
when  it  would  require  the  same  expence  to  renew  them 
again.  And  fourth,  that  providence  has  given  us  one 
of  the  best  harbours  in  the  world,  and  these  obstruc- 
tions would  exceedingly  injure  the  passage  of  ships  go- 
ing out  and  coming  in,  and  they  would  occasionally  get 
on  these  blocks,  by  which  they  might  be  injured  or 
lost. 

As  to  the  first  objection  it  is  answered,  that  upon  en- 
quiry from  the  most  experienced  dock  builders,  they 
assure  us  there  is  no  difficulty  in  sinkingtfeocks  where 
the  water  does  not  exceed  60  feet  in  deptk,  and  they 
have  no  doubt  of  their  resisting  the  fore*  of  die  cur- 
rent. We  see  almost  daily,  blocks  of  only  30  feet  square, 
sunk  in  the  East  and  North  Rivers  opposite  the  city, 
where  the  water  is  thirty- five  or  forty  feet  deep,  and  the 
current  opposite  to  the  town,  is  much  stronger  than  it 
is  in  the  bay,  where  the  obstructions  are  contemplated 
to  be  made.  Old  mariners  assert,  that  the  agitation  of 
B 


water  in  a  storm,  is  principally  on  the  surface,  and  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  is  not  disturbed  in  any  proportion  to 
the  surface ;  this  being  the  case,  there  can  no  danger 
arise  from  storms,  ,as  the  blocks  will  not  be  within  ten 
feet  of  the  surface  of  the  water  at  low  tide. 

The  second  objection  has  more  weight,  as  this  is  a 
new  thing  and  we  have  not  experience  to  guide  us. 
If  it  should  have  the  injurious  effect  upon  the  tide  to 
the  exient  that  some  suppose,  the  obstructions  ought 
certainly  to  be  abandoned  ;  as  we  have  no  guide  10  di- 
rect us,  every  one  must  exercise  his  own  judgment. 
Your  committee  have,  however,  made  various  calcula- 
tions, that  the  public  mind  may  have  some  data  to  form 
an  opinion. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  extent  of  the  harbour  from 
Red-Hook,  on  Long- Island,  to  Cowan's-Point,  on  the 
Jersey  shore,  is  near  four  miles ;  that  the  distance  of  the 
obstructions  contemplated  to  be  made,  is  about  one  and 
an  half  miles  ;  that  the  blocks  take  up  only  half  the 
3pace  as  far  as  they  go,  and  that  they  do  not  come  with- 
in ten  feet  of  the  surface  at  low  water  ;  the  whole  co- 
lumn of  water,  flowing  between  Long-Island  and  the 
Jersey  shore,  at  low  water,  amounts  to  350,000  square 
feet,  and  the  proposed  obstructions  amount  to  77,000 
square  feet ;  not  one  quarter  of  the  whole  column  of  the 


11 


water,  will  be  obstructed,  and  if  the  number  of  square 
feet  be  taken  at  half  tide,  the  obstructions  will  only  be 
one-sixth  part  of  the  whole  space.  It  would  appear  from 
these  calculations,  that  the  obstructions  could  have  no 
injurious  effect  upon  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide  ;  the 
ground  and  wharves  made  on  the  east  side  of  this  city, 
have  contracted  the  river  more  than  one- quarter  of  its 
original  breadth,  and  our  piers  now,  are  in  the  deepest 
part  of  the  river-  It  has  not  been  observed,  that  the 
tide  flows  less  at  this  time  at  Hell-Gate,  than  it  did  a 
century  past.  The  current  no  doubt,  is  stronger  oppo- 
site the  town,  than  it  was  formerly  ;  but  it  is  believed 
that  the  same  quantity  of  water  passes  in  the  river  now, 
that  did  before  the  river  was  contracted. 

The  third  objection  is  against  the  durability  of  the 
blocks.  Your  Committee  have  taken  pains  to  examine 
some  of  die  oldest  wharves  in  this  city. 

The  Crane  wharf,  whjch  has  been  built  about  six- 
teen years,  has  been  searched  under  water  at  low  tide  ; 
the  timber  appears  to  be  perfectly  sound,  and  not  the 
least  decayed.  We  have  examined  another  wharf,  which 
was  said  to  have  been  built  previous  to  the  revolution; 
the  timber  of  which  appeared  to  be  sound.  There  is 
no  doubt  there  are  worms  in  the  limber;  they  make  small 
holes  into  the  logs  where  they  enter,  but  do  not  entirely 


12 


destroy  the  wood.  From  the  information  of  dock 
builders,  who  have  broken  up  old  docks,  that  have  been 
built  50  years,  the  timber  some  distance  below  low  wa- 
ter mark,  has  been  little  worm  eaten,  but  such  parts  as 
the  stones  have  covered,  has  not  been  touched  by  the 
worms,  and  was  as  sound  as  when  put  into  the  wharf. 

To  the  fourth  and  last  objection,  that  it  w  ill  injure 
the  navigation.  It  is  answered,  that  there  will  be  water 
sufficient  for  nine-tenth's  of  our  vessels  to  sail  over  the 
obstructions  and  such  as  require  a  larger  draft  of  wa- 
ter, at  all  times  when  the  wind  is  fair,  can  pass  through 
the  space  of  two-hundred  yards  intended  to  be  left  un- 
obstructed ;  but  it  may  sometimes  happen  when  the  wind 
is  a-head,  the  ship  will  lose  a  few  tides  before  a  suita- 
ble time  offers  to  come  up  ;  and  there  is  a  possibility  o{ 
some  being  lost  by  getting  on  the  blocks  ;  but  consi- 
dering the  great  object  of  having  the  city  safely  pro- 
tected from  invasion,  these  objectioKS  is  of  small  mo- 
ment. 

The  calculations  of  expence  to  make  the  obstructi- 
ons in  the  channel,  will  not  exceed  200,000  dollars,  and 
to  raise  the  flat  sufficiently  high  to  erect  a  fort  upon,  of 
1000  feet  in  length,  and  100  feet  in  breadth,  will  not  be 
more  than   100,000  dollars;  the  cost  of  building  the 


fort,  and  its  necessary  appendages,  your  committee  have 
not  military  experience  sufficient  to  determine. 

If  the  Corporation  should  think  proper  to  adopt  this 
plan  of  defence,  and  to  proceed  immediately  to  carry  it 
into  effect,  the  next  question  is,  in  what  manner  the 
funds  are  to  be  raised.  It  is  believed  from  the  patriotic 
zeal  of  our  citizens,  and  from  the  general  anxiety  ex- 
pressed by  all  persons,  that  something  should  be  done 
without  delay,  to  put  this  city  in  a  posture  of  defence  ; 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  raising  by  loan  from  the 
citizens,  a  sum  sufficient  to  effect  this  purpose,  upon 
Corporation  Bonds,  redeemable  at  pleasure,  the  interest 
to  be  paid  half  yearly.  There  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt, 
but  the  Government  of  the  United  States  will  assume 
and  pay  this  debt :  but  in  case  they  should  not,  and  it 
should  ultimately  fall  upon  the  city  to  pay  it,  the  debt 
and  interest  would  be  extinguished  in  three  years,  by 
doubling  the  usual  yearly  taxes.  Would  it  not  be 
best  even  to  pay  the  debt  ourselves,  rather  than  remain 
in  this  exposed  and  defenceless  situation  ?  Our  interest 
clearely  dictates  the  propriety  of  the  measure. 

This  is  a  work  of  great  magnitude,  and  will  take 
more  than  one  year  to  complete  it.  The  materials  are 
not  to  be  had  in  sufficient  quantities  at  present,  but  we 
ought  to  make  a  beginning  this  year  with  what  materi- 


§ 

14 


als  can  be  procured,  and  the  works  may  probably  be  fi- 
nished in  the  course  of  the  next  summer.  If  we  should 
unfortunately  be  involved  in  a  war,  in  consequence  of 
the  present  dispute  with  England,  it  will  most  proba- 
bly take  place  before  any  effectual  system  of  defence 
can  be  completed,  and  we  must  submit  to  our  unhap- 
py situation.  But  if  the  storm  should  blow  over,  wc 
ought  not  to  desist  from  our  determinations,  to  put  the 
city  in  a  state  of  defence ;  we  cannot  always  promise 
ourselves  an  exemption  from  the  calamities  of  war. 
On  the  20th  of  June  last,  the  cou  ntry  felt  as  secure  and 
as  confident  of  the  continuation  of  peace,  as  it  has  felt 
for  many  years  past ;  but  from  the  events  that  have  re- 
cently taken  place,  it  is  seen  upon  what  an  uncertain 
tenure  the  peace  of  nations  depends.  The  advice  of 
our  immortal  Washington,  ought  therefore  to  be  con- 
fided in,  "  that  to  preserve  peace  we  ought  always  to  be 
prepared  for  war." 

All  which  is  submitted. 

SELAH  STRONG. 
JACOB  MOTT. 
JOHN  D.  MILLER. 

New -York,  August  24,  1807. 


■A 


